Ukraine and US weigh 20-point peace plan ending with ceasefire, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine and the United States are reviewing a 20-point peace plan, with the final provision focused on a ceasefire, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a media briefing.
Zelenskyy was asked whether Ukraine, at the Berlin summit with the United States, is considering an interim but practically effective decision that could immediately change the security situation on the ground.
"Absolutely, because we are considering a 20-point framework plan, which ends with a ceasefire. A ceasefire would significantly change the security situation on the ground," the president said.
Zelenskyy said that the current reality demands respect for force rather than values. He added that if honesty, values, and respect for international law truly mattered, Russia should have been punished.
"That should have happened from the very beginning, more than 10 years ago, when there was an invasion of Ukraine's sovereign territory. That did not happen. There were only words. That is why today we do not want a repeat of the war after a ceasefire. We want legally binding guarantees. Not the Budapest Memorandum, but legally binding guarantees," he said.
According to the president, Ukraine is holding such consultations with the United States.
"When they say there could be something mirroring NATO's Article 5, we understand how the United States should respond in the event of renewed Russian aggression. And I want to stress again that it is important for us that the US Congress supports this," Zelenskyy said.
US peace plan and Berlin meeting
As a reminder, the United States, Ukraine, and Europe continue working on a peace plan.
Territorial disputes remain the most challenging issue, as Washington demands ceding the Donbas region, which Ukraine rejects.
Recent reports indicate the parties are discussing three key initiatives: a framework document, security guarantees, and a document that lays the foundations for post-war reconstruction.
According to Axios, the Trump administration is prepared to provide Ukraine with legally binding security guarantees based on NATO Article 5.
However, according to the Axios source, the US considers Zelenskyy's statement about a possible referendum on a peace agreement that provides for the transfer of part of Ukrainian territory to be progress.
Trump sent his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Berlin this weekend to meet with Zelenskyy and European leaders, with the White House reportedly aiming to reach a peace agreement by the end of the year.
